Now this is hummus.

For years, I’ve been eating what I thought was “hummus”. Clearly I was mistaken. I’m not exactly sure what I was eating before, but I am sure that this is hummus. When you know, you know.

My quest for the perfect hummus recipe started as I became increasingly dissatisfied with the ever widening gap between the pasty store bought hummus I was eating on a weekly basis and the silky smooth restaurant style hummus I eat on occasion. You know the kind…super light in color, delightfully creamy and garlicky. I eventually found this post by a food blogger from D.C. She went on a trip to Israel and posted a photo from a restaurant in Jerusalem where she had the best hummus she has ever eaten! This post inspired me to do some investigation. I was determined to find out exactly how to make this kind of hummus…the kind Jesus ate in the very same city 2000 years ago!

Here is what I found…

3 Tips For Making The Best Hummus You’ve Ever Eaten

Use dried beans vs canned. Sure it takes longer, but it will make a huge difference in texture, consistency, and flavor…plus it costs less!

Baking soda. Using baking soda during the soaking process helps to breakdown the “skin” on the outside of the chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Baking soda creates an alkaline environment that allows for water to soak the beans more thoroughly. This will improve the consistency and give a silkier texture to the final product.

*Note: There are some folks who say that removing all of the individual “skins” to the chickpeas makes for an even smoother hummus. I have not tried this yet…mostly because of the super-human patience that requires.

Directions:

Place dried chickpeas in a large bowl with a cover. Fill the bowl with water, enough to cover the chickpeas with about 1 inch of water. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda, stir and cover. Allow chickpeas to soak overnight (about 10-12 hours).

Drain and rinse the chickpeas and then place them in a large pot with a cover. Fill the pot with water enough to cover the chickpeas by 1-2 inches. Allow the water to come to a boil and then cover and simmer on low heat for 40-60 minutes.

Drain the chickpeas but set aside 1/2 cup of the liquid from the pot and 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas. Rinse the remaining chickpeas (about 3-4 cups) with cold water. Now place them in a clean mixing bowl and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes.

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, sea salt, olive oil, and cooking liquid. Mix on medium/low speed for 2-3 minutes or until all ingredients are thoroughly blended and hummus mixture is smooth.

Just made this today. It was fantastic – hubby loved it, which is saying a lot, because we live in the country of hummus – Israel – where there are about 30 styles of hummus, from countless brands, that take up whole refrigerator cases in the supermarkets, not to mention “restaurants,” called hummusias, that serve nothing but that restaurant’s version of hummus along with pita bread and pickles (vinegary vegetables). You wouldn’t believe what toppings you can order with your hummus – spices, various whole beans, sauteed ground beef (my favorite), chicken, so many things. At least a fifth of the population eats it every day for lunch. It’s a side dish in almost every restaurant, and everyone thinks their secret recipe is the best. I’ve tried to make it at home often, but I never quite got it right…until now. – Thanks.

@ Sara….Wow! That is so encouraging especially coming from someone who is well acquainted with traditional Israeli hummus I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe….I’m learning! Hummus + vinegary vegetables = amazing!